Battle Grime
by Alternatively
Summary: If that kiss had never happened, but it wasn't an accident.


"Have they been like this the whole time?" Ginny asked Harry as they sent sandwiches and cups of water flying out to the survivors who were still collecting the wounded and dead. No one was eating, but everyone needed too. The sandwiches gently nudged their victims until at least one sip of water was taken, then they just hovered nearby, ready for when they were needed.  
"Hey?"  
"Ron and Hermione. They're together now, right? They're just… wow."  
"Not that I'm aware of," said Harry, glancing over to where his best friends were, directing traffic, tending to the wounded and working in seamless, wordless harmony.  
"So they weren't keeping you up all night?"  
"What?"  
"In the tent?"  
"Oh. No. Ew. That would've been… really weird. Mostly they just fought."  
"Huh. Not fighting now."  
"No."  
Harry found it both reassuring and deeply unsettling. Things were not as they should be. People were dead and dying. He felt a wave of confusion, and sent another cup of water over to Luna, who seemed to be saying blessings over the bodies lined up along the floor.

Harry climbed up into the horseless carriage. Seemed odd to be leaving Hogwarts this way. Everyone could see the thestrals now. This carriage contained the bodies of Remus and Tonks. Hermione climbed in beside him, and turned to lean out the window.  
"Is it over?" she said to Ron "Does this count as over?"  
Ron blinked.  
"Yeah," he said, his voice raspy and un-used, "Yeah, I guess it does." To Harry's astonishment, Ron grinned- but then his face sobered again, ashen and grey. "I really didn't think we'd make it."  
"No." Said Hermione quietly, "But we did, so-"  
"Ron!"  
"Coming, Mum." He called back, "Sorry. Got to go. See you back at the muggle hotel." He gave her a look Harry couldn't read. "Bloody good thing you came back to us Harry." And he was gone.

The muggle hotel was a scheme cooked up by Ron and Hermione, presumably while they were directing the rescue operations in that eerie coordinated way. No-one objected- it made a sort of sense, and no-one could think of a better option. A large, out of the way, muggle hotel was commandeered, the staff gently memory charmed, protective charms erected, the conference room converted to a temporary hospital wing, and everyone was issued with room keys. Admittedly, some of the staff seemed to have lost some of their training with the memory alterations, and Mrs Weasley seemed to have snapped into hyper alert Mother-Hen mode, as though deliberately post-poning her grief in order to look after the rest of her brood, so that by the time it came round to issuing room keys, Harry found he was expected to share with Ron. He thought momentarily about protesting, but decided against it.  
They trudged down the hallway together, counting room numbers until they reached 27 and 28. They all stood for a minute, numb and empty, Ginny and Harry holding hands, and keys in their spare ones.  
"Ok, hand it over," said Ron  
"What?"  
"Oh, like you don't want to share a room," said Ron, "Just no shenanigans, ok? You died today, and she's still my little sister."  
Harry blinked.  
"Well, you don't have to tell me twice," said Ginny, passing Ron her key, "Good luck Hermione, he snores,"  
"I know," said Hermione, an odd expression on her face.  
"Right." Said Ginny. "Love the lot of you. Need to sleep. Not really coping with the whole… battle aftermath thing. See you in the morning."  
"Yeah." There was some gruff hugging.  
Harry unlocked the door, and they went in. Ginny closed the door and leaned against it.  
"Well, if they aren't together yet, they will be by morning,"  
Harry snorted.  
"You don't think that was just Ron being kind?"  
Ginny smiled sadly.  
"I hope not. You should take the first shower, you're covered in blood."

On the other side of the wall, Ron and Hermione stood and stared at the king sized bed.  
"I hope that was ok." Said Ron. "We need to talk."  
Hermione turned and looked up at him.  
"Is it over?"  
"Yes."  
"Then we have an agreement."  
"Yes."  
They just stood for a moment, until guilty grins transformed their grimy faces.  
"This is the worst and best day ever." Said Ron  
"We actually stand a chance now," said Hermione, "Voldemort's gone, and we're…"  
"Covered in battle grime," said Ron with a grimace, "But I don't want to put it off any longer. Come here,"  
And she did.


End file.
